How many days do you need for the Great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostles, and where should you stop between Melbourne and Port Campbell?

The three-day version

Day 1: Melbourne to Apollo Bay. Head south through Torquay, the surf town at the official start, and pass the Memorial Arch at Eastern View. Stop at Bells Beach, Split Point Lighthouse at Aireys Inlet, Teddy's Lookout above Lorne, and Kennett River for wild koalas in the eucalyptus along the road. Sleep in Apollo Bay.

Day 2: Apollo Bay to Port Campbell. Turn inland into Great Otway National Park — the Maits Rest rainforest walk is short and worth the stop — then rejoin the coast at Cape Otway and its lightstation. Continue to Gibson Steps and be at the Twelve Apostles for sunset. Sleep at Port Campbell, ten minutes past the Apostles, which puts you there before the coaches the next morning.

Day 3: Port Campbell and back. Early at the Apostles, then Loch Ard Gorge, London Arch and The Grotto. Return inland via the Princes Highway — about 3 hours from Port Campbell to Melbourne — rather than retracing the coast.

The two-day version, honestly

Two days works if you accept that day one is long. Melbourne to the Apostles via the coast is a full day of driving with stops, and you will be arriving around sunset if you leave in the morning. That is the good version, since sunset at the Apostles is the reason to be there.

The trick that most independent drivers use: on the return, avoid retracing the whole coast. Take the inland highway back from Port Campbell. It is faster and it means you are not seeing everything twice.

One day from Melbourne is possible but I would not recommend it unless you are on a fixed tour. You will spend 8 to 9 hours in the car and see the Twelve Apostles in a crowd.

Where to base yourself

Apollo Bay is the natural halfway stop: a real town with accommodation, food and a beach, roughly a third of the way along. We stayed there and it works.

Port Campbell is the better second night if your priority is the Apostles at first and last light. It is small, ten minutes from the formations, and by staying there you are on site before the day-trip buses arrive from Melbourne — which is the single biggest difference in how the place feels.

Book ahead in summer. January is peak domestic holiday season in Victoria and the small towns along this coast genuinely sell out.

Driving notes

This is a two-lane coastal road with a lot of corners, a lot of tourists and a lot of people stopping suddenly at lookouts. Distances are short but average speeds are low; do not plan on highway times.

The road is left-hand drive, and the ocean is on the left heading west — which means the pullouts and the best views are on the far side of oncoming traffic. Slow down and use the signed lookouts rather than stopping on the shoulder.

The Twelve Apostles are free to visit and open at all hours. There is a visitor centre and a car park, and the walk to the viewing platform is a couple of minutes from the car. Gibson Steps takes you down to the beach for the low-angle version.

Frequently asked questions